Strike Commando 2
| Strike Commando 2 | |
|---|---|
 Italian film poster | |
| Directed by | Bruno Mattei |
| Produced by | Franco Gaudenzi |
| Written by |
Claudio Fragasso Rossella Drudi |
| Starring |
Brent Huff Richard Harris |
| Music by | Stefano Mainetti |
| Cinematography | Richard Grassetti |
| Edited by | Bruno Mattei |
| Distributed by | Flora Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 min. |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | English |
Strike Commando 2 (a.k.a. Trappola diabolica) is a 1988 action film, starring Brent Huff, Richard Harris and Mary Stavin. It follows Bruno Mattei's (who also directed this film) Strike Commando (1987), where Reb Brown plays the lead character (Huff replaced him in this one).
Plot
Sergeant Michael Ransom (Huff) is a tormented war veteran. When his commander, Vic Jenkins (Harris) is kidnapped by Vietnamese drug smugglers, the CIA dispatches him to their camp and all hell breaks loose. Ransom tries to save Jenkins who saved his life during the Vietnam war, unfortunately, Jenkins is caught cooperating with the villains. Ransom is captured and is subjected to various forms of painful torture.
Interrogation sequences including branding sessions with hot rocks and water torture. Ransom is also brutally electrocuted for long hours by the sadistic Kramet (Davidson). His agony finally ends when he manages to escape from the torture chamber. Ransom's earlier ally, local girl Rosanna Boom, who has a strong attraction to the masculine hero, helps him to escape and get revenge.
Cast
- Brent Huff as Seargant Michael Ransom
- Richard Harris as Mayor Vic Jenkins
- Mary Stavin as Rosanna Boom
- Mel Davidson as Kramet
- Vic Diaz as Huan To
- Ottaviano Dell'Acqua (as Richard Raymond) as Jimmy
- Massimo Vanni (as Alex McBride) as Kelly Sellers
- Luciano Pigozzi as smuggler leader (scenes deleted)
Production
The film was written by Claudio Fragasso and his wife Rossella Drudi and directed by Bruno Mattei, the film was shot in the Philippines for budgetary reasons. Many of the filmmakers and cast members who worked on Strike Commando in 1986 appeared on the set but not Reb Brown, the original performer of the role of Sergeant Michael Ransom was replaced by another American actor, Brent Huff.
The film was shot deep in the Filipino jungle in a little village called Los Baños. Brent Huff stated that during the filming he was in the best shape of his life because of all the physical action on the set (Huff did his own stunts) and the food − during filming, he ate nothing but fruits and fish.[1]
Fragasso and Drudi were highly inspired by Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) when they created their screenplay. There are several references to George Pan Cosmatos' film, including the betrayal subject and the notorious interrogation torture scenes.
Release
The film was released on August 17, 1988 in Italy as Trappola diabolica (The Diabolical Trap),[2] then under commonly known title Strike Commando 2 in the rest parts of the world, including the United States. On October 1988 Video Statt distributed film on VHS tapes in Germany. German version of Strike Commando 2, entitled Heroin Force, met with heavy censorship; torture scenes of main protagonist as well as some of the scenes of his battle with opponents were censored.
References
- ↑ "Brent Huff: I was jumping out of helicopters, throwing grenades and shooting M-16's or M-60's". today.az. 2010-09-08. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
- ↑ "Release dates for 'Trappola diabolica' (1988)". imdb.com. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.